How much has your hair changed since your first post at LHCF?

[getmoore]

I was just looking back at my first post here smiling and shaking my head at the same time. I had nine inches in length 4.5 inches of natrual hair and 4.5 inches of dry damaged brittle natural but DYED hair. I was whining about how slowly my hair grew. Eventually all the dyed parts of my hair fell out! I KNEW NOTHING about caring for my natural hair! Now I have 10" of chemical-free hair! It may not seem like a lot but I never thought that my hair would even be this long without a relaxer. I never even did the basics back then like tying up my hair in a silk scarf! I was clueless and I am SURE that if I had not found LHCF back then I would just have jacked up hair. Plain and simple! I've come a LOOONG way!
Thanks everyone, because I'm sure I got great tips from most of you.

 

[MizAvalon]

I was lucky because my hair was in good shape when I came here. I have learned some very useful tips here though, like not trimming as often and the baggie method. So incorporating those into the regimen I already had has been great.

 

[candibaby]

MUY MUCHOS!

When I first came here I was trying to get away from this SHS that cut my hair from brastrap to ear-length.. so I was just learning how to completely take care of my own hair. Now.. I am 2 or 3 inches past my shoulders and 3 -4 inches from brastrap. And that was less than a year ago!

 

[UmSumayyah]

Went from pretty healthy nape-length hair (too lazy for heat, couldn't be bothered with color, but I rarely tied up my hair) to few inches past shoulder-length hair. Then back to ear length due to a baaaaad stylist. Currently somewhere between chin and shoulder, I'll have to wait until my next touchup to see.

 

[A_Christian]

My hair has changed a lot. I don't have the split ends that I had when I first found the site because I stopped using direct heat on a regular basis. I am retaining more length by doing my own hair between touch-ups and avoiding scissor happy stylists.

 

[KinksnCurlz]

When i first joined, i would say my hair was in pretty good shape, health wise. I did, however, have a major problem with dry n brittle ends Thanks to the knowledge i've attained here my ends stay moisturized and healthy and i went from shoulderlength 2 current length in less than 2 years.

Nuff respect to the beautiful, insightful, lovely and knowledgable women on this forum

 

[luv04]

i was with a shs and i left her it was a move for tha better. my hair is defint. thicker and i have gained so much length. take better care of my ends. stretch out relaxers and protective style tips and vitamins are great. i would of prob never learned about these things is it wasnt for the lhcf!!!yeah im so glad.

 

[MonaLisa]

my hair is defint. thicker; take better care of my ends. stretch out relaxers and protective style tips and vitamins are great. i would of prob never learned about these things is it wasnt for the lhcf!!!yeah im so glad.

Co-signing....

I need it to be waaaaaaaaaay thicker though...working on that part...

 

[Babygurl]

Oh my GOODNESS I dont really even want to think about how terrible my hair looked before. It was very uneven and my ends were raggedy.I had the basics down (washing once a week) but I hardly ever deep conditioned. I learned about protective styling here and its been my saving grace! My hair has done a complete 180 in length and health!

 

[MonaLisa]

Oh my GOODNESS I dont really even want to think about how terrible my hair looked before. It was very uneven and my ends were raggedy.I had the basics down (washing once a week) but I hardly ever deep conditioned. I learned about protective styling here and its been my saving grace! My hair has done a complete 180 in length and health!

Oooh...my hair twin and inspirational idol.... Go Aries!

okay...back to thread...lol.

 

[Poohbear]

mine has gotten thicker and longer, almost back to the length it used to be before I cut it in October 2003.

 

[MissB]

I no longer wear my dry raggedy ponytail. I currently have moisturized healthy looking hair. The remaining goal is to get away from my scissor happy stylist so that I can achieve bra strap length hair one day.

 

[SandySea]

When I discovered this forum my hair was thin and I had given up on it. When I came here I started being more deliberate about my hair care. I already knew what I needed to do and my routine now is not really different from then. However, I needed the encouragement that I've gotten here in order to reach the goals that I had in mind. The conditioners that I use are the same, my regimen is the same, and my styles are the same--now I have more hair to work with. When you're frustrated you tend not to do what you know you need to do for your hair; the ladies here at LHCF gave me the inspiration to take more control over my hair growth and hair care. I have truly reaped the benefits.

 

[DangerouslyShy]

My hair is doing So much better thanks to LHCF!!....

I was relaxing every month, I had dyed my hair...I hardly ever moisturized or deep conditioned it. I never did protien treatments...my hair was falling out from the color, and I didnt know how to take care of my hair with a weave...

My colored ends were thin, and breaking...I have sections of hair that are like 5 inches and the rest is around 10 because it broke off when growing out my color....

Now my hair is catching up...I stretch my relaxer at least 3 months or longer, I moisturize every day twice a day, take vitamins, drink more water....I take care of my hair when wearing weaves...conditioner wash, deep condition, and do protien treatments when needed. I have learned so much...my ends have thrived....my hair is thick and growing...and healthier than it has ever been...

I could not thank you ladies enough, you have given me so much insight and guidance...you are all truly inspirations to me....

thank you ladies!!!

 

[sbg4evr]

I had a wash n wear relaxer (texturizer) and my hair was 2" from bra-strap then my hair rejected the texturizer. I cut my hair gradually, it took a year to cut off all the processed hair. Now my hair is 3" past bra-strap and all natural. I do less to my hair now that I did 3 years ago.

 

[melodee]

My hair never got past a certain length. It was fairly healthy, but my SHS kept chopping it off just below my shoulders. I thought that my hair was unable to grow any longer than that.

 

[winterinatl]

I was in rural alaska, and my hair was breaking so much! It was always shoulder length, a little past, and sometimes cut shorter to get rid of ugly ends.

I found Long Hair Lovers, and then this board created. I was happy to see black girls weren't the only ones that had to *try* to grow their hair.

I realized that the dry air, along with the extra copper in the water in that town (not Anchorage) plus my weeky flatironing (with a big 1 1/2 barrel curler) was causing all the breakage!

I knew about the protective styles from Wanakee's site a while before all this, but LHCF helped me see to do them CONSISTENTLY. I also took some Hair formula 87 pills for a few weeks (stuff works, btw).

When I got back to ATL, my ends stayed around a lot longer (no pun intended). And my length has overall increased a good 4 - 5 inches.

 

[LABETT]

My hair has done a 90 degree turn around since I first joined the board.
I had three bald spots in front of my hair and thinned out hairline.
I cant believe how that area has completely recovered thicker and stronger than ever thanks to LHCF.

 

[blkmaryland]

100%--- My hair is sooooo much more healthier. I am learning to love my natural hair. It's still a learning experience but I am learning how to listen to my hair.

 

[chocolate01]

My hair was in ok shape but I was having terrible trouble with constant split ends. I also started to have problems with my hairline thinning. I came here and learned about keeping my ends moisturized and cutting down on using heat on my hair. My hairline is looking much better and I no longer have a problem with constant split ends. I've even decided to transition to natural hair and I owe it all to the wonderful women on this forum.

 

[brownhaired_bonanza]

I'd say that my hair was in really good shape when I first got here. My problem was that I was getting too many trims each time I went to the sylist... she was chopping off an inch or so. I was wondering why my hair was at a standstill as far as length was concerned. Now I know what the term DUSTING means and how much it has worked for me. I've gained several inches and my hair looks none the worse since i've stopped the supa-dupa trims.

 

[Lorraine]

A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. That's all I will say. I don't think words can describe how far I've come thanks to the helpful advice on this board!

 

[getmoore]

Thanks ladies for all your responses and giving hope to those who thought that they just can't grow long healthy hair! I actually used to think that. So glad I found ya'll!

 

[simplycee]

I'm so proud of the progress my hair has made. When I found LHCF my hair was healthy but I was unhappy with the length. I could see that my hair was growing but t didn't seem to get any longer. Now I know the "secret" to maintaining length and my hair is thriving because of it.

 

[sweetcakes14]

Oh My God! Words cannot express the gratitude for finding this site. When I came to this forum, I had been experiencing shedding for 1 yr after having highlights put in my hair. My hair is very fine to begin with, and it got really thin and scraggly looking. I was soo depressed. But once I read Shamboosies book, I was determined to make a change. After doing a search, I came upon this site and have never looked back since.

I found the forum in March 2004, got the BC in May and my hair has been thriving. The one thing I've learned is that no one can take better care of your hair then you!

 

[karezone]

Hair was in alright shape until I became a product junkie and became convinced that I had to have a touch-up every 4 weeks. I did not see the light until someone asked me if I had gotten a haircut. All I could do was nod my head in silence. My hair did break off into a cut bob though. I am trying my best to simplify but I am slowly drifting back into PJism. I am trying to limit myself tto products that are not similar to ones that I already own.

My hair is better than when I got here but not much longer.

 

[Enchantmt]

When I started I had 8-10 inches of relaxed hair. I had some damaged ends and breakage because I had gotten lazy. I could pretty much take care of my relaxed hair w/o a problem. Now I have 3-4 inches of natural hair and I have to start over learning how to take care of my hair. May all the women who have taken the time to make and share their hair albums be blessed and highly favored!! I appreciate you taking the time to document your successes, failures, experiments, styling techniques and experience in general. You are a more of a help than you will ever know. They have been a huge part of my and I'm sure countless others progress. The knowledge contained within this forum is truly priceless.

 

[landakaye]

It has not been that long for me and Ive only seen like a little bit of growth but my damaged hair looks a whole lot better and without me using all the heat, i can tell a difference. Also my temple damage is better and I actually h ave hair where some spots were almost bald. So Thank God for all of you ladies and LHCF.

 

[jasmin]

Before I found this site I stop letting stylist cut my hair. My hair grew a lot and past my shoulders.

What I've learned here is to not trim as much, I must wear protective styles more than I was and stay away from the heat as much as possible. This is a fast track to growth for me. The biggest thing for me is that for the first time in my life I'm stylist free. I never thought that I would have the courage to do my own touchups. This has been such a blessing for me. Just PRICELESS..

Now my hair is much thicker and has grown even further past my shoulders. I no longer have as many split ends. It use to grow and then break. Such a vicious cycle.

 

[Jenai]

Before coming to LHCF (and its many incarnations) I lurked on LHL because my hair was at the "breaking point" of just all coming out. It was dry, split ends, and thin patches (hair twirler here). I wondered why it could never look healthy and grow past chin-length even though I permed every 4-5 weeks, used stovetop pressing comb 1-2 week, never conditioned, and used a curling iron everyday.

Now, my hair is SOFT and MOIST and shoulder length. I know my hair is better because all the poeple that laughed and said that I just didn't have the kind of hair that could grow long are now quiet because now I do have that kind of hair -- healthy hair.